Phlox plant named ‘USPLX50304’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘USPLX50304’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and busy plant habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; bright purple violet-colored flowers; relatively tolerant to high temperatures; and relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Phlox hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USPLX50304’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USPLX50304’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding Phlox plants with unique flower color and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jun. 12, 2005 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of an unnamed selection of Phlox glabriflora, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed seedling selection of Phlox hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jul. 6, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jul. 10, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox plant have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USPLX50304’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USPLX50304’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant form.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and busy         plant habit.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   5. Bright purple violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.     -   7. Relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more vigorous than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox ‘USPHLO322’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,894. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘USPHLO322’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flower petals of plants of the new Phlox were more serrated         and pointed than flower petals of plants of ‘USPHLO322’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘USPHLO322’ differed slightly in         flower coloration.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phlox ‘Sunphlorozu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/383,283. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sunphlorozu’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flower petals of plants of the new Phlox were more serrated         and pointed than flower petals of plants of ‘Sunphlorozu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sunphlorozu’ differed in flower         coloration.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox were more resistant to Powdery Mildew         than plants of ‘Sunphlorozu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USPLX50304’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘USPLX50304’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., under commercial practice in one-gallon containers during the autumn in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperatures ranging from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were 74 days old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox hybrida ‘USPLX50304’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Phlox             glabriflora, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of Phlox             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 28 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; sparse to medium in             density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding             plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit,             about twelve main laterals each with numerous secondary             laterals; relatively short internodes; dense and bushy plant             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 38 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to narrowly deltoid.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded to slightly auriculate; clasping.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 146A; venation, close to 146B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers             arranged in small cymes of four to six flowers each; flowers             face upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about             100 flower buds and flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; vanilla-like.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring             to frost in California.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 85D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, at base.—About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.2 cm. Lobe width: About 1.1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded, erose. Margin: Entire. Texture:             Petal lobes, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal             lobes, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Throat:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube: Pubescent. Color: Developing petals,             upper surface: Close to N81C. Developing petals, lower             surface: Close to 85D. Fully expanded petals, upper surface:             Close to N81C; star-shaped central pattern, close to N74A;             circle surrounding throat, close to 68B; color becoming             closer to N78C to N78D with development; venation, close to             N81C. Fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close to 85C to             85D; venation, close to 85D. Flower throat: Close to N78D;             venation, close to N78D. Flower tube: Close to 84C;             venation, close to 84B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base into a slender tube and             reflexed towards the apex. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 30° to about 40° from peduncle axis.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             157D. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce to             moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14B. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:             Three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Style length:             About 1.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close             to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been noted to     be relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Phlox     have not been noted to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.; relatively     tolerant to high temperatures. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘USPLX50304’ as illustrated and described. 